Detroit Red Wings selects Nate Danielson with No. 9 overall pick in 2023 NHL Draft

The Detroit Red Wings have selected center Nate Danielson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Canadian spent the entirety of his season in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings, where he had 33 goals, 45 assists, and 78 points in 68 games. It was his first season as captain and third season overall with the Wheat Kings, collecting 59 goals, 91 assists, and 150 points in 145 regular seasons games and one goal, two assists, and three points in six playoff games in 2021-22.

Daily Faceoff’s own prospect expert Steven Ellis projected Danielson to go 10th overall in his mock draft of the 2023 NHL Draft,the Red Wings selected Danielson ninth overall. Ellis had this to say about him in his prospect rankings:

“Danielson feels like a “safe” pick. I’m not sure he’s more than a 45-50 point guy in the NHL, but he’s consistent and valuable enough at both ends of the ice that he’ll have a solid, young career. You won’t find a ton of 18-year-old captains, either.”

Danielson is the first selection by the Red Wings in the first round of the 2023 draft. Barring any trades, the Red Wings will make their next pick in the first round with the No. 17 overall selection.

Danielson joins a prospect pool on Red Wings consisting of Marco Kasper, Carter Mazur and more. They used their 2022 first-round pick on Kasper.

The Red Wings finished with a 35-37-10 record in the 2022-23 season, giving them 80 points which was good enough for 7th in the Atlantic Division and 24th in the league. They missed the playoffs as a result, the 7th consecutive season that they did so.